Army likely won't meet recruiting goals (for March or April)

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- The Army expects to miss its recruiting goals again this month and next, Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey said Wednesday, and it is developing a new sales pitch that appeals to the patriotism of parents who have been reluctant to steer their children toward the Army.

"There is a forecast that we will not meet the monthly goal" for March and April, Harvey said at his first Pentagon news conference since becoming the Army's top civilian official last November.
...
"I'm clearly not going to give up," Harvey said. "At this stage we still have six months to go" before the recruiting year ends Sept. 30. "I've challenged our human resource people to get as innovative as they can. And even as we speak we've got a number of new ideas."

One of those is designed to persuade more parents to steer their children to the Army.

"We're going to appeal to patriotism," he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/03/23/army_likely_wont_meet_recruiting_goals/

hmmm...they haven't tried appealing to patriotism yet?

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Not Patriotism ...

... they're going to appeal to the Selective Service and get Congress to pass a few new laws authorizing Universal Conscription.

Then they'll blow up the Statue of Liberty or release nerve gas at the next Academy Awards ceremony.

--p!

[rocktivity]

27. Not universal conscription--a "special skills" draft

Of course, if it's anything like Bush's Clear Skies Initiative, breathing unassisted will suddenly become a special skill.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Bridget Burke]

59. No, you've got the order wrong. Terrorist attack first....

Then the Draft will sail on through.

[Massachusetts]

2. "We're going to appeal to patriotism," he said.

:wtf:

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. Incredibly insulting negative psychology, is it not?

[sarcasmo]

3. They raised the age limit for new recruits to 39 and still will not meet

the requirements. Any sane person will not go fight for oil and that is the problem they are having, to many sane people. Look for the draft late summer. Being 36 I am now of draft age and will be hanging out with my friend in Canada when the letter comes.

[BOSSHOG]

4. Isn't it sad considering

how many red blooded, flag waving, America Loving, bush supporting, larged dicked conservative white males we have in this country actively avoiding Army Recruiting Offices. On second thought, they are just pencil dicked cowards who are only brave when in a group.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. At our peace vigil on Saturday evening we had a couple of...

carloads of young white males of service age slow down, roll down their window and yell at us to "Support Bush!" "Get out of America!" "Traitors!"

Funny, not a one of them was in uniform nor had regulation haircuts. If they're so gungho for Bush's war go fight it.

[lebkuchen]

18. Those RW thugs aren't concerned now. Neither is Harvey. But just wait.

In February the Army missed its monthly recruiting goal by 27 percent....Harvey said he was not particularly concerned about monthly results, so long as the Army reaches its full-year target of enlisting 80,000 people. It has not missed its full-year goal since 1999.

27% off the mark in Feb., perhaps the same or greater in Mar. and Apr despite the fact that you have a new crop of HS grads to cull....that's a lot of bodies to make up for in six months. How does one do that? W/a magic wand?

No, the draft, but of course.

[Theres-a]

22. Bastards.

[raccoon]

25. Absolutely, Bosshog,

they can talk the talk but don't want to walk the walk.

[AndyTiedye]

26. Maybe There Aren't Really As Many As We Have Been Told

Perhaps most of them don't really exist, but are creations of

[saigon68]

49. Patriots Drafted to kill dark skinned people

And blast them into hash and burn them with napalm into Barbecue.

A real Christian thing to do

WHO WOULD JAYZEUS Kill or Maim or Disembowel???

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. As a patriotic mom let me take a moment to weigh the options...

Service in a War I believe is UNpatriotic.....Live Child

Gee, that's a tough one!

snippet from my "liberal musings" of 3/22

The most common negative response to my actions has been, "If you hate your country so much, then go live somewhere else." I am rarely granted the luxury of responding to this accusation so I shall take the opportunity to do so now.

While I have never considered dissent to be equivalent to hatred I suppose I can understand why some individuals might jump to that conclusion. Dissension is threatening to someone who feels comfort within the status quo. A person who feels threatened, especially subconsciously, is extraordinarily hard to engage rationally. "I don't hate my country, I love it. That is why I am doing this." is a baffling response. I suspect my assertion that I love my country makes no sense because of the tendency to equate personalities with the American government rather than appreciate the structure of the government itself.

My first loyalty lies with the structure of our government as outlined by the United States Constitution. Consequently, I have a great deal of respect for the office of the Presidency. It also means I have high expectations for the individuals who accept the responsibility inherent within this office. When my expectations of the individual fall short of my respect for the office, there is a tension that must be addressed. My disrespect, and indeed disgust, for President George Bush in no way undermines my loyalty to the United States and our republic. If anything it should be indicative of quite the opposite.

Not much seems to have changed in four decades. Forty years ago anti-war protestors were labeled communists, today they receive the epithet of "terrorist." How ironic that those who embrace the U.S. Constitution and exercise their legal rights as American citizens are the ones who are treated as a threat to the very country they respect, cherish and want to see thrive as a healthy, creative and productive society.

http://www.unitarianminister.org/mar22.htm

[mike_c]

8. as the father of a 24 year old daughter about to receive a degree...

...in computer science (apparently a desirable military specialty), let me suggest that "patriots" who want to send my child to fight in an illegal war-- in essence, to become a war criminal, or to die for a corrupt foreign policy-- can bite my ass. You'll have to come thru me first. No foolin'.

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. You've got that right!

[meganmonkey]

12. LOL -Can we make "Bite My Ass" the new anti-draft motto?!

I love it.

:D

[Maat]

15. Amen, Sir.

You protect that youngster! We support you in that.

Luckily, my daughter is only 8.

[pokercat999]

55. Need help? I'll stand with you. nt

[Wright Patman]

10. Put the feeding tube back in

and send Terri Schiavo. I hear she once confided to Michael that if a war for oil ever broke out, she wanted to be on the front lines.

[lebkuchen]

11. Recall this piece in Common Dreams:

Appeal to this, Petty Officer "Doe":

Some Clarification For the Navy Recuiter Who Just Phoned Me
An open letter from the parent of 2 potential inductees

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1016-24.htm

[TlalocW]

13. Hate to take the easy shot on "Military Intelligence"

But seriously... Were a bunch of the marketing people sitting around a conference table feeling languid and listless until the new guy jumped to his feet, pounded the table with his fist, and yelled, "I got it! Patriotism! We'll appeal to their patriotism!"

TlalocW

[lebkuchen]

19. You've got to admire Harvey's "tenacity"

"We're down 27% but I'm not going to give up!"

What the hell else would one expect him to say?

"Uncle?"

[tanyev]

14. We don't need a sane policy for the use of military might,

we just need a better sales pitch!!!! Bushco thinks everything can be solved by better marketing.

[neverforget]

16. Where are the throngs of Patriotic College Republicans?

Cowering in cowardice because they are afraid to die!

[devilgrrl]

17. That's what I was wondering myself!

[Ellen Rose]

20. as innovative as they can

"I've challenged our human resource people to get as innovative as they can. And even as we speak we've got a number of new ideas."

I am sitting here reading one of their latest innovations. It is a personal letter written to my 19 year old daughter, straight A's in college (1st year but a sophomore by hours) by a "member of the U.S. Air Force" from a nearby town.

"I graduated from Marion High School in 2004. It was my junior year that I signed up for the United States Air Force seeking an education and stability in my life. The Air Force has proven to be a successful career opportunity.
I graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in November 2004. The experience was interesting and stressful in "basic", but I learned teamwork and leadership skills. Afterwards I graduated from technical training at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The training at California lasted sixty-three days and I studied 13 blocks.
The field I am in is intercontinental ballistic missile maintenance. My job consists of working on the nation"s nuclear weapon"s systems. Currently I am at the training level three. Soon I hope to be at level five for I am studying nuclear physics. At the end of my first enlistment I hope to become a staff sergeant.

Currently I am to be stationed Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. It is here that I will pursue several goals, which include becoming a Team Chief and a Training Instructor. I then hope to make a career and retire as a Master Sergeant. If you would like more information on how YOU can cross into the blue and start a new career contact:" Local recruiting office information.

I just learned that the No Child Left Behind Act has a provision that requires schools to give the pentagon our children's names, addresses, and phone numbers. My daughter has been inundated with phone calls, letters and the usual propaganda. Now we know what Bush meant by "leave no child behind", it was not to make sure they received a top rate education-he failed to supply the funds for that-it was to make sure they don't miss anyone if they run out of voluntary recruits.:nuke:

While I am on a roll, I am sick of NASCAR races using our armed forces for entertainment before the spectacle starts. I would like to know how much money these almost weekly shows cost the American taxpayers. Then there is the matter of using tax dollars to sponsor cars in each race, that is a hefty sum I am sure. Last, if the drivers think so much of the war in Iraq, why aren't more of them volunteering to go? Many of them are in the correct age range and are in very good shape. They are always talking about how much they respect the guys and gals who are over there. Oh yes, I forgot-they are making a very good (if dangerous) living and don't need the armed forces to get ahead.

[pokercat999]

56. "Oh yes, I forgot-they are making a very good (if dangerous) living "

A "good" living yes...dangerous? not nearly as dangerous as say mining or commercial fishing or even constuction. It's kinda like "Pro" wrestling looks real, totally fake.

[denverbill]

21. Hear the Freepers!!! If you don't volunteer your kid, you're no patriot!

Get to it!!!

[unhappycamper]

23. Did someone leave the door open?

I just felt a draft.

[AndyTiedye]

28. Close The War

[lebkuchen]

24. I have an idea: recruit 39 year olds!

For a average 39 yr old to make it through basic training would be like my 76 y.o. father trying to make the Green Bay Packers. There are some who could make it, but they'd be in the minority--albeit the majority of those taking up space on a medivac flight to Landstuhl for non-combat injuries after a few weeks on the battlefield.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

29. Abraham offered his firstborn...

Shouldn't all good Christian Americans?

Send the twins.

[Moderator]

30. kick to combine

[ckramer]

31. U.S. Army pushes patriotism amid recruiting woes

The Army, struggling amid the Iraq war to sign up new soldiers, will miss its March and April recruiting goals, but hopes to attract more recruits with a patriotism pitch, the Army's leader said on Wednesday.

An internal forecast indicated the active-duty Army will fall short of its recruiting goals this month and next month, as will the part-time Army Reserve and Army National Guard, Army Secretary Francis Harvey said.

The active-duty Army in February missed a monthly recruiting goal for the first time since May 2000, and the Guard and Reserve also are lagging.

Army recruiters say the Iraq war, in which more than 1,500 U.S. troops have died and more than 11,000 wounded, is worrying many potential recruits and their parents, overshadowing the traditional pitch of providing job skills and financial incentives.

Harvey, who took his post in November, told a Pentagon briefing that a new Army campaign will emphasize patriotism as a reason to volunteer and will target parents who may be reluctant to see their sons and daughters serve in wartime.

"It is a noble calling to serve the country," said Harvey, who will send Army representatives and politicians into local communities to deliver the message at the grass-roots level.

"We're going to appeal to patriotism. We're going to appeal to the value of service. And we're going to do that in a very proactive way," Harvey added.

"We're talking about getting that message to the influencers, including parents, including teachers."

Rather than traditional advertising, Harvey said, "It's going to be more at the Rotary Club. It's going to be more at the Kiwanis Club. It's going to be out there in the heartland."

link

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. geting people ready for the draft I see

[yorkiemommie1]

33. i got a mass email from 'Today's Military"

Last night

http://www.todaysmilitary.com/t1_tchome.php

i loved getting it. gave me a chance to tear 'em a new one.

i never gave these folks my email addy. are they taking to spamming people now???

[mcscajun]

36. Yup. I got that one yesterday as well.

I didn't bother responding, just threw it into SPAM rejection. :)

[yorkiemommie1]

37. so now they're spamming us

well i tore into them. me, 58 on sunday.... i figure whatthell. i can 'be' a menopause bitch now! ( whereas before i was just a bitch, lol )

[Selteri]

39. That was in my spam filter as well. NT

[kevinmc]

34. A Neo-Con must .......

have come up with this idea, next they will say the Bible demands you join.

[lebkuchen]

35. Must be panic time if they're waving the redflag before the public

A story that started small in Stars and Stripes, discussed on DU is now big-time news.

All you idiots who voted for Bush, be afraid. The draft is around the corner.

[yorkiemommie1]

38. i carry around sticky notes

and write... 'if you voted for bush, enlist " and i leave them on shopping carts, benches, restrooms....

may not do much good but makes 'me' feel good. lol.

[lebkuchen]

40. good idea

think I'll xerox off copies of the article and write them same thing above the title, then leaflet Congress, which is in large part responsible for destroying our army.

[NNN0LHI]

41. Army to miss recruiting goals again

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-740955.php

The Army expects to miss its recruiting goals this month and next and is working on a revised sales pitch appealing to the patriotism of parents, Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey said Wednesday.

Whether that boosts enlistment numbers or not, Harvey said he sees no chance of a military draft.

“The ‘D’ word is the farthest thing from my mind,” the former defense company executive told a Pentagon news conference, his first since becoming the Army’s top civilian official last November.

Because of the military manpower strains caused by simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some in Congress have raised the possibility of re-instituting the draft, although there is a strong consensus against it among Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the military chiefs.

more

[fallout]

42. old news, i don't see that changing anytime soon... nt

[BOSSHOG]

45. You are right

CONSERVATIVES ARE COWARDS, THAT'S OLD NEWS.

[amber dog democrat]

43. suppose we raise the enlistment age to ..... 55 ?

an waive some requirements. Or lets have press gangs.
There has to be some way to make these wars appealing enough to motivate folks to join up for an indeterminate enlistment in our war for oil.

any suggestions ?

[BOSSHOG]

44. And all the badass, flag waving, god loving

bush supporting members of the insane base are making every conscious effort to avoid service and to avoid fighting in a war they support. Apparently the only life conservatives value is their own. Photo ops at a hospice does not substitute for combat duty. It continues to suck being a conservative, taking advantage of the liberties offered by that most liberal document, the U. S. Constitution while slinking away and avoiding an opportunity to support and defend it. If I were a conservative or a member of free republic I would hang my head in shame knowing that the U. S. Army can't meet goal. I guess they are just big mouthed, trash talking, pencil dicked hypocrites after all.

[shadowknows69]

46. I'm in marketing

and I wouldn't touch a recruiting campaign with a ten foot howitzer.

[Rose Siding]

47. They've been recruiting them right out of prayer meetings

http://shlonkombakazay.blogspot.com/2005/02/holy-st-its-fascist-picture-story-time.html

[Zech Marquis]

61. I saw recruiters looking like vultures at my local mall

right in the food court, just dying to find anne they think might be willing to listen to their pr spin...it IS feeling rather drafty lately...

[Earth_First]

72. FU*K YOU HARVEY! WHAT DO YOU KNOW *ANYTHING* ABOUT "the grassroots level"

FU*CK YOU!

[reprobate]

48. Their next recruiting idea will emulate the British navy...Shanghaiing.

[Horse with no Name]

50. As a parent with 2 teenage children

We have Mexico and Canada brochures in our possession,lol.
For myself personally--I am seriously considering not renewing my nurses license so I don't get called up.
With the shortage of nurses in the military and even stateside, I wouldn't put it past them to draft nurses under 40 for active duty and over 40 for stateside duty.
Frightening times we are living in, but I am not sacrificing anything for this regime. Not my kids nor my skills. When they finally run out of cannon fodder--they will have to stop.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

51. New Recruiting Campaign

Does anyone live in the Philly area? I heard on KWY (AM1060) tonight that the military is now going to launch a campaign focusing on the Patriotism of the parent's to aid in their recruiting. I guess they haven't figured out who is telling the youngsters not to enlist.

Did anyone else hear this? It was around 8:00pm.

[artemisia1]

52. Don't do that...

You may be needed to TRULY serve your country, as in the case of the 1918 Influenza. If worse comes to worse, look into the Public Health Service.

[Bridget Burke]

60. I've heard that 44 will be the age limit for the "special skills" draft...

And there will be no sexual discrimination, of course.

The nursing license might be useful if YOU decide to leave. You could get a job anywhere...

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

53. It's always a question of marketing in this MBA Presidency

Gee, how do we market our death product today to the death consumer?

"I've challenged our human resource people to get as innovative as they can. And even as we speak we've got a number of new ideas."

[theHandpuppet]

54. Now here's a novel idea...

Get the children of the rich to serve! The Army can make their pitch to the parents among Bush's "have mores" Republican base; after all, since they are gleaning the most cream from the pitcher they should be first in line to tend the (cash) cow.

But no, I'll bet these pitches for "patriotic duty" will be aimed as they have always been, at the children of the poor and working classes. It's a little something you'll never hear mentioned by the media -- hell, the only person I've ever heard even bring the point to the public light was Michael Moore.

Perhaps someone the likes of CNN's Wolf Blather could do one of his special reports on why the children of the upper classes don't serve. Maybe he could even do a bit of research and give us facts and percentages! Y'think? I think not.

You see, this is why I'm really torn on the issue of the draft; if the wealthy had to send their own kids into the thick of these insane wars they would stop tomorrow. But as long as its only the kids of the poor, the working classes and people of color who can be used as cannon fodder, such sacrifice is still just an abstract they can easily demand from others.

[truthisfreedom]

57. this, my friends, may be the very end of bushco.

the draft is the only choice they have. this will be the critical devisive measure.

[BiggJawn]

58. Close the door, please, I feel a DRAFT....

Here it comes. They can't fool enough Sheeple into giving up their kids for PNAC's dreams of World Conquest....

[holden007]

62. Well, I wish them luck

I don't see things changing!

[Moderator]

63. kick to combine

[NNN0LHI]

64. Army enlistment rate low due to war on terrorism

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-87856sy0mar25,0,6585327.story?coll=dp-headlines-topnews

Potential privates apparently fear that signing on the dotted line will mean a quick trip to the desert. As a result the Army continues to struggle to enlist new blood.

After missing monthly recruiting goals for the first time in five years in February, the Army expects to miss goals again this month and the next as well.

"The current difficulty is primarily a factor of the ongoing war on terrorism," said Douglas Smith, spokesman for the Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Ky. "Young people and their parents are just reluctant to consider enlistment at this time."

The National Guard numbers are the worst. In February the Guard met only 75 percent of its year-to-date target. The Reserve had met 90 percent of its goal, and the active-duty Army hit 94 percent of its goal.

more

[fasttense]

65. When the services start missing their shipping numbers they will

continue to miss those numbers for a good long time. You can bet they moved any and everyone they had up to meet those goals. So now they don't have much left sitting in the Delayed Entry Program pool. Where are all those people with their yellow ribbons who support their troops? Where are all those preachers who support b*sh? Seems to me it's a hell of a lot easier to say you support the troops than it is to actually support the troops.

[dkofos]

66. What???

50 million patriotic repubs and they can't come up with 80,000 targets for bush.

You should be ashamed.

[Berserker]

68. Army enlistment rate low due to war on terrorism

The CON will never stop calling it "The war on terrorism".
It should read Army enlistment rate low due to bush's war for oil.

[Meeker Morgan]

67. They will raise the pay of the military ...

... and raise taxes to pay for it. Problem "solved".

[ConcernedCanuk]

69. The current difficulty is primarily a factor of the ongoing war on terror

.
.
.

Close - but not quite right

In reality

It's the BELIEF that the war on "terra" is not quite justified, and is an excuse for the BFEE to put it's warriors wherever it wants for it's own purposes that is keeping recruits away . .

apparently - they do not believe that the US is in real danger of being invaded, nor do I

and it's not a war on terror anyhoo

It's a war to gain as much control over oil supplies of which the United States is getting desperate to maintain.

The United States Military has turned into the "Enforcers" for the WH, the BFEE and the Oil Companies desperate need for a continuing flow of foreign oil

US has made so many enemies now they are going have to steal the oil that is the life blood of the United States Murderous War Machine -

Can't have that thing run dry now can we ??

(sigh)

I fear Canada is penciled in as an axus of evuul there somewhere - We supply WAY too much oil that the US needs, and I'm sure that our huge resources must be seen as wasted on 30 million Canuks when it could all belong to the States for the price of a few thousand dead soldiers -

Canuk casualties wouldn't matter - that's "collateral damage"

yuppers - I believe there is a plan (not on W's desk of course) to grab Canada's resources for the US, and infiltrating the country is not out of the question.

Preemption, as stated - "to protect United States Interests" would give them "justification" should we decide to cut back or eliminate our petroleum sales to the US.

Fort Drum isn't located near our largest cities and Capitol by accident - -

I hear they are quite active lately

:scared:

[reprobate]

70. I want a bumper sticker that says:

I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS. I SERVED. DID YOU?

[Moosepoop]

71. If ya can't recruit 'em, draft 'em.

You just know that's coming.....